UK Sport announce £3m Aspiration Fund for Tokyo 2020

12th October 2018

Following the launch of UK Sport’s new £3m Aspiration Fund, volleyball, beach volleyball and sitting volleyball will have the opportunity to bid for investment to support teams with the potential to reach the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Open to Olympic and Paralympic sports who are not currently in UK Sport’s World Class Programme, a category into which all three volleyball disciplines fall, potential grants for team sports will be capped at £500,000 and will run until the end of the Tokyo 2020 cycle.

“The Aspiration Fund from UK Sport is an amazing opportunity to support our potential Great Britain teams who could qualify for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games,” began an enthusiastic Janet Inman, CEO of Volleyball England. “We will be working with the British Volleyball Federation (BVF) and other Home Nations to develop a plan to secure this critical funding.”

Competition for the grants is likely to be fierce with all unfunded Olympic and Paralympic sports, new sports for upcoming Games and individuals on UK Sport’s medal support plan funding all eligible to apply for a share of the £3m pot.

Liz Nicholl, CEO of UK Sport said: “This new Aspiration Fund is a fantastic opportunity for some sports to get on track for the Tokyo Games.

“Many of the sports we are currently unable to support, while further away from reaching the podium, have great potential not only to inspire through their performances on the field of play but also to have a genuine social impact in communities across the UK.

Highlighting a crucial part of the bid process for the new fund, where applicants will be required to show how the funding will inspire the public and grow the sport, Tracey Crouch, Minister for Sport and Civil Society, is also looking to the wider impact of sports: “UK Sport investment has transformed Britain into an Olympic and Paralympic powerhouse. But there are sports, not on UK Sport’s world class programme, that do a huge amount of good in communities that we can help on their path to the podium.

“This £3 million bridges a gap between grassroots and elite funding and will help sports grow and develop future champions.”